Contending Issues in the Niger Delta Crisis of Nigeria - Journal of ...

Chapter VII: The Political Class and Intergovernmental Relations in Nigeria
The Political Class
The political class, in the context of Nigeria, refers to elected
representatives, civil servants, political appointees and so
on(Genieva,W,2005) . It is important not to think of the political class
only in terms of office holding politicians. Robert
Putnam(Putman,R.D,1976) has used the word political elite to mean
the political class, which he defined as those with more power than
others. Power, in the sense of ability to influence directly or indirectly
politics and state activity.
Following from its activities since 1999, understanding the political
class in Nigeria as an emerging social category without positive
bearing on society has become imperative. It is sort of an emerging
group who want to see themselves as professionally but with hidden
interest of seeking to capture state power as a means of accumulating
wealth. In the more developed federal democracies of Canada and the
United States, the political class represents a social class,
professionally but seek to secure state power with which the society
can be the ultimate beneficiary.
The political class is motivated by the wealth accruing to the state
from oil. This notion can hardly be challenge when the picture of the
do or die character of politicians is considered. The consequent
violence, reaching record level, in forms of assassination of political
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